All, I know I have been posting a lot, but I have a new (to me) 310 and I am slowly working my way through all of the little things. Anyway, I am outfitting my boat with a new digital TV (15" Polaroid with ATSC [digital tuner] - $200 from Walmart.com), and want to use the factory installed antenna. When trying to use the installed antenna on the top of the mast reception is terrible, and I do better with a set of crappy old rabbit ears. In looking at the cable it appears to be old RG-58 and not the newer RG-6 and the connections are a bit suspect. Does anyone know the model of antenna Catalina installs on the mast? How the cable is routed (it appears to run aft from the v-berth)? and is the VHF also on the same cable? Any ideas or comments welcome. Thanks Ray
Routing of TV Antenna and Antenna Performance
- Thread starter Ray2325
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Antenna...
I believe the antenna on our boat is a Dantronics. It is an amplified antenna, and think it will not produce a good signal if the amplifier isn't on. There is a little red LED light on the bottom side of the antenna that can be seen from the cockpit to verify there is power to the antenna. You might check to see if you have power to yours. I've never traced the wire from our antenna. Since our TV is in the front of the boat, near the compression post, I just assumed that the wire was ran under the floor and up the compression post. I've been looking around for a new TV too. I'm interested in an LCD mostly just so I can eliminate the 12v inverter that we use to run our TV and DVD player. Many of the LCD's use a 12v input so I could run it straight off the battery power. Since all the DVD players are still 110vac I am looking at the TV that have the DVD player built in. Then I would have a TV and DVD player that runs off 12v and thus wouldn't need that inverter anymore. The antenna would still need 110v, but I don't ever watch broadcast TV on our boat so I'm not worried abou it.
I believe the antenna on our boat is a Dantronics. It is an amplified antenna, and think it will not produce a good signal if the amplifier isn't on. There is a little red LED light on the bottom side of the antenna that can be seen from the cockpit to verify there is power to the antenna. You might check to see if you have power to yours. I've never traced the wire from our antenna. Since our TV is in the front of the boat, near the compression post, I just assumed that the wire was ran under the floor and up the compression post. I've been looking around for a new TV too. I'm interested in an LCD mostly just so I can eliminate the 12v inverter that we use to run our TV and DVD player. Many of the LCD's use a 12v input so I could run it straight off the battery power. Since all the DVD players are still 110vac I am looking at the TV that have the DVD player built in. Then I would have a TV and DVD player that runs off 12v and thus wouldn't need that inverter anymore. The antenna would still need 110v, but I don't ever watch broadcast TV on our boat so I'm not worried abou it.
LCD TV
Mark, I did look around quite a bit. Unfortunately the Polaroid LCD with ATSC tuner has a 120 VAC cord that goes directly into the back of the TV and there is no external brick. I did see a Magnavox and Insignia LCD tvs that had 12vdc adapters but they both had NTSC (e.g. Analog) tuners and were not good. Mine works well with an inverter (although you use a little extra power with the inverter) and it had everything else so I bought it. Actually, I bought it because all the other Polaroid 15" models I saw had a 12vdc adapter so I was hoping this one would too. Other than that the thing works great. On your powered antenna is there somewhere the antenna is powered from, like the NAV position on the power panel. Not a big issue as I can just try them all.
Mark, I did look around quite a bit. Unfortunately the Polaroid LCD with ATSC tuner has a 120 VAC cord that goes directly into the back of the TV and there is no external brick. I did see a Magnavox and Insignia LCD tvs that had 12vdc adapters but they both had NTSC (e.g. Analog) tuners and were not good. Mine works well with an inverter (although you use a little extra power with the inverter) and it had everything else so I bought it. Actually, I bought it because all the other Polaroid 15" models I saw had a 12vdc adapter so I was hoping this one would too. Other than that the thing works great. On your powered antenna is there somewhere the antenna is powered from, like the NAV position on the power panel. Not a big issue as I can just try them all.
TV/antenna power...
Ray, On our power panel we have a dedicated breaker/switch for our TV, and it is labelled 'Television'. It is simply a 12v source that runs to an inverter mounted in the locker on the port side of the front cabin. The TV and DVD player are plugged into the inverter, and I think the antenna is running on the 12v source. I understand what you're saying about the digital tuners in the TV. I forgot that many of the smaller TV's are not equipped with the modern tuner technology. I haven't been too concerned about it since we usually use are TV only for watching DVD's. But if I ever do get a new TV I would like to find one with an HD tuner so I have it for the rare occasion that we need it.
Ray, On our power panel we have a dedicated breaker/switch for our TV, and it is labelled 'Television'. It is simply a 12v source that runs to an inverter mounted in the locker on the port side of the front cabin. The TV and DVD player are plugged into the inverter, and I think the antenna is running on the 12v source. I understand what you're saying about the digital tuners in the TV. I forgot that many of the smaller TV's are not equipped with the modern tuner technology. I haven't been too concerned about it since we usually use are TV only for watching DVD's. But if I ever do get a new TV I would like to find one with an HD tuner so I have it for the rare occasion that we need it.
Problem Solved (TV Antenna and Shower Sump)
I figured out my antenna problem. I do have a Television switch on my panel, but I have no idea what it controls. But I found out that my stereo switch does appear to control power to the pre-amp on the antenna. With the antenna powered up I got 46 channels over the air. Some of the analog ones register on the antenna during search, but give me nothing but static. But, the high definition and other digital channels are crystal clear and better than I get at home. At this point I would recommend the Polaroid LCD TV with ATSC tuner I got from Wal Mart as it works extremely well. I also solved my problem with my shower sump. The strainer on the input to the pump was clogged with hair. I also took apart the two position switch that select between the shower sump and ice box drains, and cleaned it out. It may have also been mis-aligned as when I put it back in it didn't seem to sit right until I turned it almost 180 degrees and heard a snap and then it was hitting the limits again. Pump now works great.
I figured out my antenna problem. I do have a Television switch on my panel, but I have no idea what it controls. But I found out that my stereo switch does appear to control power to the pre-amp on the antenna. With the antenna powered up I got 46 channels over the air. Some of the analog ones register on the antenna during search, but give me nothing but static. But, the high definition and other digital channels are crystal clear and better than I get at home. At this point I would recommend the Polaroid LCD TV with ATSC tuner I got from Wal Mart as it works extremely well. I also solved my problem with my shower sump. The strainer on the input to the pump was clogged with hair. I also took apart the two position switch that select between the shower sump and ice box drains, and cleaned it out. It may have also been mis-aligned as when I put it back in it didn't seem to sit right until I turned it almost 180 degrees and heard a snap and then it was hitting the limits again. Pump now works great.
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